ginger lemon chicken soup with couscous
its like meal prep, but its soup
So, I have a confession. Some days I don’t eat a single vegetable or green thing all day. But I’ve also never been a fan of meal prep, because I’d get tired of it by day 2. You know what I’ll never be tired of, though? Soup. So now, we do meal prep by just making a big pot of soup!
Soup is so underrated as a way to eat healthier throughout the week. It’s easy to pack in veggies, and you can really load up on the protein and fiber too! This week’s soup was a ginger & lemon chicken soup with pearl couscous and fresh herbs. It is seriously so good and it saved me multiple times throughout the week.
the full recipe:
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
3 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
3.5 cups Broth or water
1/2 cup pearl couscous
handful of cilantro leaves
handful of sliced scallions
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Tools
Large Pot
Microplane
Steps
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, such as a dutch oven. Add 1 diced onion and 1 diced carrot. Sweat them down for about 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Then, add 3 cloves minced garlic and grate in a 1-inch knob of ginger. Stir until fragrant.
Push the veggies to the side of the pot. Drop in 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs. Season the exposed side with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip and season the other side. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then cover with 3.5 cups of broth. Bring to a boil.
Once the chicken reaches 165º internally, remove it from the soup and set on a cutting board. Cool until you can touch it. While cooling, add 1/2 cup of pearl couscous to the pot while boiling. Once the chicken is cool to the touch, just tear it apart with your hands. Add the chicken back to the pot.
Continue a gentle boil until the couscous is al dente (or just below al dente). Then turn off the heat.
Taste and add more salt and pepper to your preference, then squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Stir in a handful of sliced scallions and a bunch of cilantro leaves.
Enjoy while hot, or store in individual containers in the fridge.
For extra protein, use bone broth!
The chicken thighs cook pretty quickly. I recommend using a meat thermometer before pulling them out. However, if you don’t have one, just cut or tear the chicken at the thickest part. If it has any pink, it needs a bit longer to simmer.
Feel free to add celery with the carrots and onion to make a mirepoix. I don’t really care for celery so I didnt include it.
Chicken thighs - I love chicken thighs as they are generally more flavorful and they don’t get as dry. However, feel free to use any cut of chicken youd like. You could also omit the chicken if you don’t eat meat, or substitute it with vegan chicken or even cubed firm tofu.
Pearl couscous - You are welcome to substitute this with any small shaped pasta you choose. Pastina, acini di pepe, ditalini, or orzo would all be good choices.
Cilantro - If you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute with herbs you do like. Some options are parsley, basil or thai basil, or more green onions/scallions.
Broth - You can substitute regular broth with bone broth for added protein, use vegetable broth, or even use water. If using water, be sure to taste and add more seasoning throughout.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!
Yum